"If anything, it should be," admitted Noble, stoking the fire again, making the shadows of his shape dance along the wall behind him, "Creative's idea of hospitality is to send you along with minor attendance in a dangerous land".
Bjorn's grim countenance turned in Noble's direction, knowing the slights against his Master and himself. Noble placated the odinkine, "You are brave indeed, Master Ravenfolk, but, even a warrior of your kind, is but one."
The helmeted harpy straightened his back, stricken by the word warrior.
"The Cairn Hills connect his lands and mine, correct? Which means you passed through Clever and Smart's domain, with no small degree of assistance," Noble continued, his self-righteousness limiting his ability to curtail his volume, "That is then two of my kind that has failed you, and now, three, with you here in my presence, filled with dread to your safety and that of your friend's."
The centaur's muscles began to tense, and flex, as if he were intent on standing and charging. It gave a better perspective of his size, as, while he seemed young, he was a large creature of muscle, wrapped in fine linens and metal. He began to remove one of the buckled items from his hips, and drawing it up, revealed it to be a sword, a saber. With a lesser degree of reverence than his rifle, he laid it at Willow's feet.
"A blade, one of orihalcum, wrapped in a sheath of hardened gordalisk leather," explained Noble, "It is a keen weapon, and may serve you when your metals fail you. The sheath is enchanted, a Huntsmen's Boon. Draw the blade while speaking the name of another, and the blade will point in the direction they are in. This is not true hospitality, but I hope it might help you feel capable to defend yourself."
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Aye, he’s a real Lad, that one,” Willow gestured towards Bjorn. For the sake of conversating like a reasonable person, Willow reduced the burns on Tin and Bronze. Her face relaxed more or less back to normal as she continued to listen to Noble, and it wasn’t until the saber was sat in front of her that she reacted further.
“Clever, yes; Smart, no,” her words were flat and somewhat distracted as Willow began to look the weapon over. “Had ta save her from some of her golems, she the one that gave me the metal nuts. Weren’t long passed that a wraith came at us, her golems took her again, and I pressed on.”
She paused just before picking the blade up.
“Is this a loaner? Should I be concerned about maintaining it, slash not losing it, slash not keeping it?”
Another, albeit shorter, pause.
“Also, don’t s’pose I could eat one of those casings, could I?”
“Clever, yes; Smart, no,” her words were flat and somewhat distracted as Willow began to look the weapon over. “Had ta save her from some of her golems, she the one that gave me the metal nuts. Weren’t long passed that a wraith came at us, her golems took her again, and I pressed on.”
She paused just before picking the blade up.
“Is this a loaner? Should I be concerned about maintaining it, slash not losing it, slash not keeping it?”
Another, albeit shorter, pause.
“Also, don’t s’pose I could eat one of those casings, could I?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
"If eating a rifle casing would bring you at ease," Noble genially offered, despite looking a little off-put by how intent she was to eat the leavings of his rifle, "by all means."
He gestured to at least twenty casings on the floor. They were silvery, and glowed greedily with whatever light they could reflect in a gentle, cobalt hue. "The sword was a gift to me, graciously given by a master craftswoman. She is esteemed, second only to the Lord in her understanding of the world. In that blade is poured all of her knowledge of metallurgy, the scabbard assembled with every thread of her expertise. I prize the blade, highly, but it is rarely drawn. It is, sadly, disused."
Then, with a laugh, as if no sword had ever been cursed, he continued, "There are no strange enchantments on it. I assure you. Its maker would be happy to know it found a wielder that could put it to good use. Wear it at your hip, and only the insidious in this realm should challenge you."
He gestured to at least twenty casings on the floor. They were silvery, and glowed greedily with whatever light they could reflect in a gentle, cobalt hue. "The sword was a gift to me, graciously given by a master craftswoman. She is esteemed, second only to the Lord in her understanding of the world. In that blade is poured all of her knowledge of metallurgy, the scabbard assembled with every thread of her expertise. I prize the blade, highly, but it is rarely drawn. It is, sadly, disused."
Then, with a laugh, as if no sword had ever been cursed, he continued, "There are no strange enchantments on it. I assure you. Its maker would be happy to know it found a wielder that could put it to good use. Wear it at your hip, and only the insidious in this realm should challenge you."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
As soon as the permission had been given Willow Iron pulled on one of the blue lines traced to a casing. Deftly catching the darting glint of pale blue light, she began to roll the metal between her fingers as she focused more on Noble describing the sword. It sounded like an amazing sword, to the point where she almost felt guilty holding it.
“Then I will take good care of it while it’s in my possession,” she offered. Picking up the stowed saber in her off hand, Willow took a bit of comfort from it as she once more examined the casing.
Unlike electrum that she’d been able to intuit the composition of and the Clever metal that had been told to her, all she really had to go off of for mithril was hyperbole from some of the nerds back at school. She felt like she’d heard one of them say something like Silver Steel, but that struck her as being literal rather than composition; and Tolkien wrote that dwarves mined mithril so actual steel steel was probably not a factor. Probably.
If, and that was a very big if, this metal was burnable it would only possibly help her with her metal rationing issues. Whereas if the metal wasn’t burnable she would probably either slow Noble down, or be a literal burden should she need to be carried. Pewter kept her hands from trembling, but she could still tell she was nervous about the thought. On that same note though, that probably meant this was her best chance to try it. Noble was the best equipped to keep her safe if she accidentally crippled herself for a bit.
“To the regiment,” Willow lifted the casing as though it were a glass before tilting her head back and dropping the casing into her mouth. Compared to the Pewter figurine, this casing was nothing. She’d tried to think of a good toast, but being still a minor she’d only really heard her Dad and Gramps make toasts, so… “I wish I was there.”
“Then I will take good care of it while it’s in my possession,” she offered. Picking up the stowed saber in her off hand, Willow took a bit of comfort from it as she once more examined the casing.
Unlike electrum that she’d been able to intuit the composition of and the Clever metal that had been told to her, all she really had to go off of for mithril was hyperbole from some of the nerds back at school. She felt like she’d heard one of them say something like Silver Steel, but that struck her as being literal rather than composition; and Tolkien wrote that dwarves mined mithril so actual steel steel was probably not a factor. Probably.
If, and that was a very big if, this metal was burnable it would only possibly help her with her metal rationing issues. Whereas if the metal wasn’t burnable she would probably either slow Noble down, or be a literal burden should she need to be carried. Pewter kept her hands from trembling, but she could still tell she was nervous about the thought. On that same note though, that probably meant this was her best chance to try it. Noble was the best equipped to keep her safe if she accidentally crippled herself for a bit.
“To the regiment,” Willow lifted the casing as though it were a glass before tilting her head back and dropping the casing into her mouth. Compared to the Pewter figurine, this casing was nothing. She’d tried to think of a good toast, but being still a minor she’d only really heard her Dad and Gramps make toasts, so… “I wish I was there.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
All but Bjorn were shocked to see Willow actually throw back the casing. Noble didn't know what to expect, but the odinkine in his care chittered back and forth.
"She is Willow Metal-eater," assuaged Bjorn to his kind, "no mere quarrid."
Mithril tasted a bit like iron, but the tang was muted. Willow lived up to her name, and she sat in audience of her cavemate's amazement. She has really just consumed a rifle casing. While the harpies talked among themselves, Noble watched her with almost an inkling of what to expect. Yet, he could not imagine, nor expect what was to happen next.
Willow tried to burn the metal, and immediately, a sickening feeling of weightlessness took her. It turned out to be more shock than anything, as Willow found her weightlessness more than just a feeling. She was floating off of the ground, as if there were no gravity in the cave. There wasn't a sense of control, or direction, she merely drifted.
"This is what you can do when you eat metal?" asked Noble, who watched in wonder as Willow's back caught the wall and she began to gently spin.
"She is Willow Metal-eater," assuaged Bjorn to his kind, "no mere quarrid."
Mithril tasted a bit like iron, but the tang was muted. Willow lived up to her name, and she sat in audience of her cavemate's amazement. She has really just consumed a rifle casing. While the harpies talked among themselves, Noble watched her with almost an inkling of what to expect. Yet, he could not imagine, nor expect what was to happen next.
Willow tried to burn the metal, and immediately, a sickening feeling of weightlessness took her. It turned out to be more shock than anything, as Willow found her weightlessness more than just a feeling. She was floating off of the ground, as if there were no gravity in the cave. There wasn't a sense of control, or direction, she merely drifted.
"This is what you can do when you eat metal?" asked Noble, who watched in wonder as Willow's back caught the wall and she began to gently spin.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Noble would see Willow’s face shift from a cautionary wince, to confusion, then realization, and finally elation. The weariness and weight that had been pressing down on her seemed to melt away for a time as Willow was awash with the rekindled joy of discovering magic. Electrum had been fascinating, and she looked forward to experimenting with it more in the future; the Clever alloy seemed like it would be exhilarating, but it was reliant on other metals; Mithril on the other hand felt almost like her first time using Steel. The possibilities were thrilling to consider, and on top of all that she was flying. Kind of. The wall against her back made her begin spinning in the air in an unladylike manner, and if it weren’t for Pewter she’d imagine her equilibrium would be having a rough time. With a flick she tossed a coin to the side and pushed with Steel to give herself some momentum, and slid a hand along the wall to adjust her spin until she found a handhold to keep herself in place; up near the roof of the cave. Tossing out another coin above her, she pushed against it with almost no force needed to give herself the stability needed to stand up.
“Sort of,” Willow finally began her explanation. “I can only burn certain metals, and each different metal gives me different abilities. Desperation being the mother of… uh… necessity?... I’ve been on a string of eating every metal I’ve been handed, and so far I haven’t become cripplingly sick. Yay~♡”
She examined the metal reserve the Mithril casing had given her to see if she could get a sense of how quickly it might be draining.
“Mithril seems to give me weightlessness,” she reduced the burn on Mithril and Steel to see if she began to sink back to the ground, and began to explain some of the fundamentals of her powers. “I’m guessing this is a part of the Internal set. If Mithril is an alloy then it's a pushing metal. Can also assume that its paired metal would increase my weight proportionate to its burn. Hmm, if I burned the Clever alloy I imagine I could only get so light, whereas with the pairing I could probably be incredibly heavy for a moment.”
“But! I can work with this! Just gonna need to eat another casing in the morning, and maybe hope for some of those mineral berries.”
“Sort of,” Willow finally began her explanation. “I can only burn certain metals, and each different metal gives me different abilities. Desperation being the mother of… uh… necessity?... I’ve been on a string of eating every metal I’ve been handed, and so far I haven’t become cripplingly sick. Yay~♡”
She examined the metal reserve the Mithril casing had given her to see if she could get a sense of how quickly it might be draining.
“Mithril seems to give me weightlessness,” she reduced the burn on Mithril and Steel to see if she began to sink back to the ground, and began to explain some of the fundamentals of her powers. “I’m guessing this is a part of the Internal set. If Mithril is an alloy then it's a pushing metal. Can also assume that its paired metal would increase my weight proportionate to its burn. Hmm, if I burned the Clever alloy I imagine I could only get so light, whereas with the pairing I could probably be incredibly heavy for a moment.”
“But! I can work with this! Just gonna need to eat another casing in the morning, and maybe hope for some of those mineral berries.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“You lead a charmed life, Willow,” remarked Noble, looking mildly aghast at the Allomancer’s appetite for risk, much less, metal.
Willow felt gravity begin its pull on her as she reduced the burn on Mithril, bringing her back down to the firm ground of the cave. Bjorn looked less impressed than the first time, but still matched the wonder of eyes watching her in the cave. They were so entranced, that the distant shrieks of wraiths may have well been the nighttime crickets.
“I was worried,” The centaur laughed, looking even more relieved, “that you might be a mage, and therefore a malign sign, a human. Yet, you are unlike anything I have ever seen or heard, consuming the bones of the land to gain their power. Even with my wings, and Smart’s tales, I thought I had seen it all. You will need to tell me more about the part of the world you come from, I would love to visit somewhere new.”
Cheerful now, Noble fished up what small camping supplies he kept on his back, and laid out a bedroll, and a leather cover with a woolen interior. “Some bedding for you, and a bit of woolen resting for the odinkine to nest in.”
Willow felt gravity begin its pull on her as she reduced the burn on Mithril, bringing her back down to the firm ground of the cave. Bjorn looked less impressed than the first time, but still matched the wonder of eyes watching her in the cave. They were so entranced, that the distant shrieks of wraiths may have well been the nighttime crickets.
“I was worried,” The centaur laughed, looking even more relieved, “that you might be a mage, and therefore a malign sign, a human. Yet, you are unlike anything I have ever seen or heard, consuming the bones of the land to gain their power. Even with my wings, and Smart’s tales, I thought I had seen it all. You will need to tell me more about the part of the world you come from, I would love to visit somewhere new.”
Cheerful now, Noble fished up what small camping supplies he kept on his back, and laid out a bedroll, and a leather cover with a woolen interior. “Some bedding for you, and a bit of woolen resting for the odinkine to nest in.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Creative had poorly prepared Willow for the political climate she’d be wandering into. This had taken her out at the knees when Clever had called her out on the matter. Now however the Brit was prepared, so when Noble tossed the not so subtle derision she was able to keep her cool. Giving the centaur a quizzical look she made a subdued show of thinking about what he had said and then understanding.
“Nay. No mages where I’m from,” Willow said back, technically not lying as she hadn’t known of any mages in London, although now she’d not be surprised to find out Old Lady Tilsby next door had been an Earthbender. “If we’d ever had magic, it was forgotten in favor of technology. Seems kind of fitting that I’m able to consume their foundation. Although, at this point I’m more curious about whether I’ll be able to get back myself than I am about visitors.”
Willow sighed as she returned to grab the saber she’d been offered before moving to the bedroll. In truth, she didn’t feel all that tired as Pewter was still burning, but she laid down all the same as she began to flare the other metals again; and once more she looked as though she had a migraine, but oddly the Mithril weightlessness felt oddly comforting. Peeking her eyes open against the blinding light of the fire, Willow looked at the smoke shadows spreading out from her. Most stayed around her, some got back up and paced the cave, some were floating by the top of the cave, a few were doing various exercises, some looked to be standing and talking to Noble some more, and one decided to leave the cave.
The Electrum shades faded. Steel and Iron burned out. Copper and Bronze followed shortly behind. The pressure of her back against the cave floor marked Mithril’s departure. Zinc was almost unnoticed. The sound of the fire softened to its intended relaxing crackle as Tin faded. Once all of her other reserves had gone she flared the last of her Pewter, and the moment Pewter joined the other metals a severe exhaustion slammed into Willow like a wall of water. She might have panicked if she hadn’t fallen asleep immediately.
“Nay. No mages where I’m from,” Willow said back, technically not lying as she hadn’t known of any mages in London, although now she’d not be surprised to find out Old Lady Tilsby next door had been an Earthbender. “If we’d ever had magic, it was forgotten in favor of technology. Seems kind of fitting that I’m able to consume their foundation. Although, at this point I’m more curious about whether I’ll be able to get back myself than I am about visitors.”
Willow sighed as she returned to grab the saber she’d been offered before moving to the bedroll. In truth, she didn’t feel all that tired as Pewter was still burning, but she laid down all the same as she began to flare the other metals again; and once more she looked as though she had a migraine, but oddly the Mithril weightlessness felt oddly comforting. Peeking her eyes open against the blinding light of the fire, Willow looked at the smoke shadows spreading out from her. Most stayed around her, some got back up and paced the cave, some were floating by the top of the cave, a few were doing various exercises, some looked to be standing and talking to Noble some more, and one decided to leave the cave.
The Electrum shades faded. Steel and Iron burned out. Copper and Bronze followed shortly behind. The pressure of her back against the cave floor marked Mithril’s departure. Zinc was almost unnoticed. The sound of the fire softened to its intended relaxing crackle as Tin faded. Once all of her other reserves had gone she flared the last of her Pewter, and the moment Pewter joined the other metals a severe exhaustion slammed into Willow like a wall of water. She might have panicked if she hadn’t fallen asleep immediately.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Willow’s sleep was feverish, and intense. The degree of her fatigue was greater than she could possibly know, considering the miles and miles she walked, climbed and fought in her pajamas. Her mind was swimming as it began to depress into a dream-state. There were many memories her brain could have chosen to reflect on through the rest period, but for some reason, it chose her most recent memory.
The cave.
It was vivid, she could see Noble, stoking the fire. Bjorn and the Odinkine were tucked into the woolen blanket asleep. Something happened, and a flash appeared almost as soon as her vision filled. The first to turn was Noble, whipping up the rifle at her, the barrel, and his eyes glinting with deadly intent.
Then, his eyes widened, and his face went white. His rifle fell a few degrees, and he uttered something she could barely hear.
“You… you are human.”
The Allomancer looked down, and saw she was dressed in white and gold finery, strapped tightly to her body. She looked like she was actually ready for her adventure, with vials of metals and set up of brawny looking gloves. Then, she looked down.
It was her, lying asleep on the floor, in her pajamas. Fatigued and ragged, but covered in one more blanket than she remembered falling asleep with.
When she looked back up, Noble’s aim was back on her head. He looked afraid; of her.
It was then that she woke up, and found the cave filled with natural, healthy light. The two odinkine were gone, and the camp within the cave was mostly wrapped up. Noble was standing at what was his towering height now, a symbol of bloodied warfighting, staring out at the cave’s entrance. The helmet she saw from the night before was on his head, and it turned to her when she awoke.
The rifle followed, and she saw Bjorn interpose himself between the centaur and herself. She might have felt the desire to act, to respond, but she would find her motion sluggish as her muscles burned, and worse, she had a fever.
Noble’s voice emanated from the winged great helm, his golden eyes were just visible from two of the six eye holes in the mask.
“Explain yourself, Willow Metal-eater.”
The cave.
It was vivid, she could see Noble, stoking the fire. Bjorn and the Odinkine were tucked into the woolen blanket asleep. Something happened, and a flash appeared almost as soon as her vision filled. The first to turn was Noble, whipping up the rifle at her, the barrel, and his eyes glinting with deadly intent.
Then, his eyes widened, and his face went white. His rifle fell a few degrees, and he uttered something she could barely hear.
“You… you are human.”
The Allomancer looked down, and saw she was dressed in white and gold finery, strapped tightly to her body. She looked like she was actually ready for her adventure, with vials of metals and set up of brawny looking gloves. Then, she looked down.
It was her, lying asleep on the floor, in her pajamas. Fatigued and ragged, but covered in one more blanket than she remembered falling asleep with.
When she looked back up, Noble’s aim was back on her head. He looked afraid; of her.
It was then that she woke up, and found the cave filled with natural, healthy light. The two odinkine were gone, and the camp within the cave was mostly wrapped up. Noble was standing at what was his towering height now, a symbol of bloodied warfighting, staring out at the cave’s entrance. The helmet she saw from the night before was on his head, and it turned to her when she awoke.
The rifle followed, and she saw Bjorn interpose himself between the centaur and herself. She might have felt the desire to act, to respond, but she would find her motion sluggish as her muscles burned, and worse, she had a fever.
Noble’s voice emanated from the winged great helm, his golden eyes were just visible from two of the six eye holes in the mask.
“Explain yourself, Willow Metal-eater.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
It felt like she was being smothered by phantasmal cotton that weighed as much as one of those golems she had saved Clever from. Holy cats she felt rough. Was this a hangover? In a sense, she supposed it was. While it was difficult to be exact Willow guessed she had been burning Pewter to some degree for over half of a day. Beginning to look about she found her vision blurred and cognition sluggish as she finally registered Noble. Oh fuck, that’s right. That weird dream. He’d found out she was human, and now she was at his mercy; save for Bjorn’s valor.
“Ca- gah… ah…” Willow tried to say something but her throat was dry and the words failed her. Shutting her eyes, she mustered every ounce of will that she could manage. Through sheer grit in the face of adversity Willow turned herself onto her side and began to use her arms to wedge herself up. It wasn’t more than a few inches, but she was able to get a better angle to stare down Noble; and his rifle.
“I… didn’t… lie…” the teen was panting from the effort and fighting back a wave of nausea. “Jus’... d’n’... mention was hu… man. Why… are you… racist?”
Willow’s neck slumped under the weight of her head, sweat beading on her forehead.
“Some… water. Please.”
“Ca- gah… ah…” Willow tried to say something but her throat was dry and the words failed her. Shutting her eyes, she mustered every ounce of will that she could manage. Through sheer grit in the face of adversity Willow turned herself onto her side and began to use her arms to wedge herself up. It wasn’t more than a few inches, but she was able to get a better angle to stare down Noble; and his rifle.
“I… didn’t… lie…” the teen was panting from the effort and fighting back a wave of nausea. “Jus’... d’n’... mention was hu… man. Why… are you… racist?”
Willow’s neck slumped under the weight of her head, sweat beading on her forehead.
“Some… water. Please.”